Senior Field Agent(s)
by ytteb
Summary: One shots about who might have been Senior Field Agent on Gibbs' team in the two years before the TV show began. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1

_I got to wondering if there had been other agents on Gibbs' team pre-series … here's one version of what might have happened. There may be more to come._

* * *

Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo paused in front of the NCIS building in the Navy Yard. _Special Agent_, he thought, rolling the phrase around in his mind. Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo – yes, he decided, it had a good ring, an _authentic_ ring, it sounded right. He squared his shoulders (metaphorically - a DiNozzo would never slouch) and walked into the building, trying to look nonchalant and not show that he was actually bursting with pride.

"Agent DiNozzo," came a friendly voice as he went through security. Tony turned and grinned as he saw Special Agent Chris Pacci walking in behind him. "Welcome," said Pacci, "Your first day?"

Tony nodded, "Finished at FLETC on Friday," he confirmed. He had met Pacci, who had a desk behind a partition in the squad room, on a couple of his orientation visits to the Navy Yard. Gossip said that Agent Pacci was one of the nicest, and most trustworthy, people in NCIS and Tony's own instincts confirmed the general opinion.

Pacci put out his hand to be shaken, "Anything you want to know, just ask me," he said as they emerged from the elevator.

"Thanks," said Tony, "Appreciate that." He stopped in front of his new desk and saw that there was a pile of case files in one corner and an iced muffin in the centre.

"Tut, tut," came another voice, "If young Tony needs any help, he can come to me."

Tony looked up from gazing at his desk to see a middle-aged woman sitting at the desk opposite. She got up and walked towards him with hand outstretched,

"Good morning, Dear," she said warmly, "I'm Syndi-Lou Carter. One S, one Y."

Tony nodded weakly. He felt there should be some witty response to this, but he couldn't think of one. Perhaps the pumpkin orange was sapping his super flirting powers.

Syndi-Lou turned to Pacci, "Thank you for looking after young Tony," she said sweetly, "But I can look after him from here."

Tony was conscious of mixed emotions: gratitude that someone was being nice to him, irritation at being called both Dear and young and awareness that, for a moment, there was a look of intense dislike on Pacci's face.

"Of course," said Pacci courteously, "Don't forget, Tony. Any time."

"Thanks, Agent Pacci," said Tony.

"Chris," corrected Pacci, "We Italians have to stick together, you know," he gave Syndi-Lou a cool look and retreated to his own desk.

"I bought you a muffin," said Syndi-Lou.

Tony nodded; somehow, he would have been surprised if it had been a gift from his new Boss.

"What the hell?" came Gibbs' voice as he stalked out of the elevator.

"It's a muffin," said Tony.

"Those FLETC classes paid off then, good observation," said Gibbs with a sardonic grin.

"Now, now, Jethro," said Syndi-Lou, "You know perfectly well that young Tony here did very well in his classes at FLETC. We can be very proud of our new recruit."

"_Our_ new recruit?" queried Gibbs.

"Why yes, Jethro. Didn't Tom – I mean, Director Morrow," she paused for a self-conscious giggle, "Didn't the Director tell you that he'd assigned me to your team?"

"No."

"Oh yes. Tom, I mean, the Director was so pleased that you'd decided to rebuild your team that he decided you would need someone to be your Senior Field Agent. And he chose little old me. Isn't that wonderful?"

Tony didn't need his finely tuned people skills to recognised that Gibbs didn't share Syndi-Lou's view of the matter.

"Huh," said Gibbs in a tone which only an optimist would have interpreted as pleased. He turned away from his desk and sprinted up the stairs to the Director's office.

"Now, Dear," said Syndi-Lou, "Why don't you make yourself at home? Eat your muffin and tell me when you're ready."

"For what?" he asked.

"For going through those files, Dear," cooed Syndi-Lou.

Tony cast a jaundiced eye at the files and decided to eat his muffin very slowly. Very slowly indeed.

It wasn't long before Gibbs stomped back down the stairs.

"And how was the Director?" asked Syndi-Lou sweetly.

"Fine," growled Gibbs. "What the hell are those files doing on DiNozzo's desk?"

"I thought it would be a good way of him getting to know about our procedures. After all, paperwork is key to success."

Tony hadn't known Gibbs long but had already decided that he was stoic and unflappable in the extreme. It was, therefore, a shock to see his jaw momentarily drop open as he heard this pronouncement. He recovered quickly, his eyes narrowed before he shrugged, "Whatever."

"Now, Dear," said Syndi-Lou turning her attention once more to Tony, "Why don't you take the files one at a time, read through and take notes on the procedures that were followed to bring the cases to a successful conclusion?"

Tony looked to Gibbs to see if he agreed with this grim instruction, but Gibbs stared back blandly.

"You know," Tony said in what he hoped was a winning tone, "I've been a cop for nearly 6 years. I've done a lot of paperwork …"

"I know, Dear," said Syndi-Lou sympathetically, "But you're a federal agent now. We do things differently. We have _standards_."

Tony looked mutinous at the slur on his previous employment, but he saw Gibbs give a minute shake of the head.

"Sure," he said in a resigned tone as he pulled a folder towards him.

Fifteen minutes later, Syndi-Lou came to check on his progress, "Now, Dear, what have you noted about this first case? The Montgomery Willis file?"

"Um, looks OK to me," offered Tony.

"Oh dear, young man," sighed Syndi-Lou, "I fear that there are some problems … a lot of problems … with the way that the paperwork was completed."

"Oh?"

"Oh yes. You see, the NC562 was completed before the NC401. The NC62A is missing. The NC09F isn't signed and the …"

"Hey," said Gibbs, "_I_ did the paperwork on that case. It's fine."

"Oh, Jethro," said Syndi-Lou, "This is why Tom … the Director … called on me for help. You've got into bad habits, I'm afraid and we can't have you setting our new young man on the wrong path …"

"Actually," said Tony, "I'm 30. Not really all that young."

Syndi-Lou laughed, "Of course not, Dear. I meant that you're young in the ways of NCIS. But don't worry, in my capable hands you'll be fine."

Tony shuddered but managed a smile.

"Now, I want you to go through these files with a fine-toothed comb and spot all the little errors and slips that Agent Gibbs has made."

Tony stared at her in disbelief, wondering how on earth Gibbs would react to having his mistakes pointed out by his most junior agent. For a few moments, Gibbs, Syndi-Lou and Tony were motionless and silent as a standoff developed then, fortunately, the quiet was broken by Gibbs' desk phone ringing. He picked the phone up, listened and then slammed it down.

"You know, Jethro," said Syndi-Lou reproachfully, "It's considered good office practice to answer the phone with a courteous message and acknowledge the caller. It makes the caller feel valued and …"

"Gear up!" announced Gibbs.

"Thank God," breathed Tony as he grabbed his weapon and backpack.

"Now, Dear," said Syndi-Lou solicitously, "Make sure you follow my lead … we want you to keep safe, don't we?"

"DiNozzo!" barked Gibbs, "You do what I tell you! Understood?"

"Of course," said Syndi-Lou, "And I'm sure that Jethro will adhere to all health and safety protocols. And if he should suggest anything that you're not _completely_ comfortable with, don't hesitate to share any misgivings with me. I want you to be utterly open with me. I think candour and openness are the key to … oh, wait for me, gentlemen," she finished as she realised that Gibbs and Tony were already standing by the elevator. "This is so invigorating," she said when she had joined them, "To be back in the field again."

"How long is it since you were in the field?" asked Tony.

"It's been a while," Gibbs answered for her.

"Yes," said Syndi-Lou sadly, "It's been hard to find a team that's the right _fit_. But I'm sure that's about to change. Starting off with a young, new recruit who I can mould … who I can direct in the right ways … well, it's going to be wonderful."

A few minutes later, as Tony waited outside the van as Gibbs went off to get the key, he asked an important question, "You're going to mould me?"

"Oh yes, Dear."

"But what about Gibbs? You gonna mould him too?"

Syndi-Lou's eyes clouded momentarily, "I'm not going to pretend it will be easy … but it will be worth it. We'll be the team renowned for rigid adherence to regulations, prompt submission of paperwork, enhanced safety in the field and, above all, happiness in the workplace."

"Huh. And will we actually catch any bad guys?" asked Tony.

Syndi-Lou was prevented from replying by Gibbs' return with the key, "I'm driving," he announced.

"Excellent," said Syndi-Lou, "I have a copy of the latest directives about safe driving. I'll read them as we go."

"I'm in a hurry," said Gibbs, "You might want to hold on to something," he added laconically.

Tony wasn't sure what he'd learned that morning but, when he emerged green and shaking, at the end of the journey, he decided he'd learned that when Gibbs said _hold on_, it was a good idea to obey. Syndi-Lou was made of sterner stuff; as the van screeched to a halt she managed to say,

"When we get back to the office, I'll give you a list of the regulations you violated."

"You do that," said Gibbs emotionlessly.

NCISNCIS

A couple of hours later, the MCRT were back in the office,

"Good work, DiNozzo," said Gibbs gruffly.

"Thanks, Boss …"

"You know, Dear, you don't have to call Jethro _Boss_. It's a patriarchal form of address which is out of place in the modern work place."

There was something like a growl from Gibbs' direction, but it was Tony who spoke, "I don't mind. And Gibbs didn't tell me to call him Boss: it just sorta fits."

"Well, Dear, there are other ways of being intimidated, you know. And we want there to be an atmosphere of respect and mutual understanding in the team. Studies have shown that a free exchange of ideas can lead to flourishing of all the team members …"

"_You_ did good, DiNozzo," said Gibbs.

"Thanks, B …" Tony trailed off, uncertain about who to obey.

"But you know, Dear, it was very impetuous of you to run after the suspect like that," chided Syndi-Lou, "You didn't wait for instructions from your superior and the surface you were running on did not meet safety requirements. You could have twisted your ankle …"

"I was a varsity athlete," protested Tony, "And I'm good at running."

"… I'm sure you are, Dear but you know, and I'm sorry to have to point this out, your days of being a varsity agent are in the past. We all have to accept that we get older and, as we get older, our powers wane."

It was at that moment that Tony finally decided that he disliked Syndi-Lou – a lot.

"If DiNozzo hadn't run after him, he'd have got away," said Gibbs brusquely.

"Possibly," conceded Syndi-Lou, "But it was very impulsive. And young Tony is not yet in a position to make decisions like that on his own."

"What should I have done?" asked Tony.

"You should have asked for permission," said Syndi-Lou sweetly, "And Jethro and I would have made a _reasoned_ decision about whether or not it was a good idea. And then we would have given our authorisation … or our refusal."

"But the guy would have got away," reasoned Tony.

"That wasn't your concern," said Syndi-Lou, "You're not experienced enough to make that sort of decision on your own."

"Hey," said Gibbs, "My team, my rules."

"Oh, Jethro," sighed Syndi-Lou, "I'm afraid it's that type of reactionary attitude that made Tom … the Director … put me on your team. It's time that you moved with the times and developed a more collaborative, collegiate approach to problem solving. You will find that it pays all sorts of dividends."

"But the bad guy would have got away if I'd waited for you and the Boss to come to a joint decision," protested Tony.

"Damn straight," said Gibbs emphatically, "You do what I say, DiNozzo."

"But that's the problem," said Syndi-Lou calmly, "He didn't do what you told him, Jethro. The dear boy set off without being told to. I'm afraid this a very bad start to his NCIS career."

"Boss?" asked Tony.

"You do what I tell you, DiNozzo but you use your initiative as well – you hear?" said Gibbs.

"Really, Jethro …"

"I hired you for your experience … not because I wanted a yes-man."

"Yes, Boss."

"Now, back to work!" Gibbs dismissed him with a slap to the back of the head.

"Jethro!" wailed Syndi-Lou, "I can't believe you did that! Tony Dear, are you all right? I have a HR42B form in my desk that you can complete if you want."

"A what?" asked Tony.

"It's a form on which to make a complaint about the behaviour of a senior agent. It will lead to a thorough investigation," said Syndi-Lou.

"Really?" said Tony.

"Oh yes, Dear. NCIS takes this sort of behaviour very seriously. Now, I know that you may feel hesitant about submitting a complaint so early in your NCIS career, but it is important to take a stand against such degrading behaviour. You must not be afraid of repercussions."

"Well," said Tony, "If you're sure?"

"Absolutely, Dear. Look, here is the form. Make sure you write clearly and if you want, I'll check it for spelling mistakes."

"Thank you," said Tony.

Gibbs made a huffing sound, "Going for coffee," he announced, "You coming?" he said to Tony as a way of inviting him to escape Syndi-Lou.

"No, I'm good," said Tony absentmindedly, "I want to get this done," he bent to his form once more while Syndi-Lou smiled at him benignly.

NCISNCIS

"Well, Agent Gibbs," said Director Morrow later that day, "I can't say that your new team got off to the best of starts."

Gibbs shrugged, "It went OK. DiNozzo caught the bad guy."

"I didn't mean the case," said Morrow sternly, "I meant your team _dynamics_."

Gibbs shrugged again.

"Your team isn't 24 hours old and I've already had a complaint."

"Hmm."

"You hit your new agent over the head!"

"You make it sound worse than it was," said Gibbs mildly. "And DiNozzo didn't mind. He knows what it was for."

"And what was it for?" asked Morrow curiously.

"This time it was like a pat on the back. A way of saying, _good job_."

"And you couldn't have just said it?"

"I did. This was a follow up."

"And you're sure he didn't mind?"

"I'm sure. DiNozzo's not a pushover. He doesn't like it, he'll tell me."

"Hmm," said Morrow, clearly unconvinced, "I'll be watching you."

"Sir," acknowledged Gibbs, "Anything else?" He made to get up.

"Sit down," ordered Morrow, "I've got to deal with the complaint."

"Sir?"

"Agent DiNozzo has submitted a complaint."

"Has he?" asked Gibbs innocently.

Morrow glared at his agent, "He's complained about Agent Carter's behaviour. Says she has an ageist …"

"Ageist?"

"He says she keeps referring to him as young … with the implication that he is inexperienced and untrained."

"Yes?"

"Whereas Agent DiNozzo points out that he has 6 years' experience of law enforcement and that it is inappropriate to keep making references to his relative youth. He considers that it borders on age discrimination."

"He does, huh?"

"Yes, he does. He also objects to her calling him _Dear_ all the time. He regards that as patronising and demeaning. He thinks that, at best, Agent Carter is guilty of unconscious sex discrimination …"

"Hmm."

"He goes on to say that he doesn't feel that Agent Carter is capable of seeing him as a qualified and effective operative. He is concerned that her attitude will lead to a stifling of his abilities and will impact his development as an agent."

Gibbs' mouth twisted but he managed to keep a straight face, "Sounds pretty serious, Sir."

"Yes."

"What you gonna do about it?"

"What do you think I should do?"

"Well," sighed Gibbs, "Team dynamics. You know how seriously I take them."

"Yes."

"Sounds to me like a case of irreconcilable differences," he continued sadly.

"You get that from your latest divorce or that sexual harassment lecture you went to?" asked the Director with honest curiosity.

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not. So, what should I do?"

"One of them will have to go," said Gibbs.

"Uh huh. Which one?"

"Sexual harassment … ageism," frowned Gibbs, "Seems to me that if you get rid of DiNozzo you run the risk of it looking as if you're punishing him for making a complaint."

"That would be serious," said Morrow.

"It'll have to be Carter then," said Gibbs, "She'll have to go."

Morrow grinned.

"Although I guess you'll find it hard", mused Gibbs."

"How so?"

"She keeps on saying how she's close with you," explained Gibbs.

Morrow seemed to shudder.

"But I guess that makes it even more important that she's the one to go," continued Gibbs, "You wouldn't want to be accused of favouritism … not on top of everything else."

"No, you're right," said Morrow solemnly. He hesitated, "I'll ask Dolores Bromstead to pass on the bad news. She'll start looking for another suitable slot for her."

Gibbs nodded and stood up to go.

"Thank you, Jethro," said Morrow with a meaningful nod of gratitude.

"Pleasure," said Gibbs with a conspiratorial tip of the head. "And it's good to know that DiNozzo's good at filling in forms. Might come in useful."

Morrow watched Gibbs go. He had a feeling that he and DiNozzo would turn out to be a formidable team.

"Jethro," he called as Gibbs reached the door, "I'll be looking around for another Senior Field Agent for you."

Gibbs touched his forehead in a sort of salute and left.

"Boss?" asked Tony as Gibbs returned to his desk.

"Where's Carter?" asked Gibbs.

"Got called to HR," said Tony neutrally.

"We'll be down to two men tomorrow," said Gibbs.

"Huh," said Tony with a slight smile.

"Good work, Tony."

"You already said I did good catching the bad guy."

"Not that," said Gibbs.

"Ah!" said Tony in understanding.

"And it's good to know you're good at paperwork," said Gibbs blandly.

Tony looked a little less than pleased but managed to smile. "Uh, Boss."

"Yep?"

"The head slaps …"

"Hmm?"

"They're OK for now but …"

"But?"

"But when they're not … well, just remember I know how to fill in HR42Bs!"

* * *

_AN: I know lots of people don't approve of the head slaps … but I think, in canon, Tony didn't particularly mind them and that's what I've tried to reflect in this story._


	2. Chapter 2

"You have _eight_ rules about lawyers?" whined Tony DiNozzo as he followed Agent Gibbs out of the elevator. "That's stup- …" he trailed to a halt when Gibbs stopped suddenly and turned to glare at him. "I mean, that's stupendous … yes, a _stupendous_ effort," he corrected himself swiftly.

"Better," approved Gibbs as he delivered a swift head slap. "And today you found out why Rule 12 is important …" He stared at Tony to make sure he had remembered his latest lesson.

"Rule 12 – never involve an FBI lawyer," he recited.

Gibbs nodded and then seemed to notice that they had a visitor. Tony followed his gaze and saw a man older than himself and younger than Gibbs and with a friendly grin on his face.

"Jim?" said Gibbs.

"Gibbs, good to see you," came the reply.

"Thought you were working out of the Mayport office," said Gibbs.

Jim winced, "I was. Decided it was time for a change. Carol and me, well, we've separated."

"Sorry to hear that," said Gibbs.

"What about you?" asked Jim, "How's Stephanie?"

It was Gibbs' turn to wince, "Didn't work out. We're getting divorced."

"Huh," said Jim, "We should form a club."

Gibbs didn't answer and, as so often, Tony filled the resulting silence by coming forward with outstretched hand,

"Hi, I'm Anthony DiNozzo – Tony. Newest member of Gibbs' team."

"Jim Cunningham. Nice to meet you. Heard a lot about you."

"You have?" Part of Tony was pleased as he loved to be the centre of attention but part of him was worried about what Jim had heard especially as he was still trying to work out what Gibbs thought of him … his expression cleared as he realised that it was highly unlikely that Cunningham had picked up any gossip from Gibbs. Gibbs and gossip were unlikely bedfellows.

"What you doing here, Jim?" asked Gibbs.

"Director Morrow knew I was looking for another posting. He suggested I could fill in here for a few weeks as your Senior Field Agent. See how it goes."

Tony unconsciously held his breath: Gibbs didn't like any plans which he didn't think originated with him so he thought it was possible that Agent Cunningham would soon be leaving Washington again.

Gibbs was, however, a pragmatist. He knew that the Director would keep on producing new agents for the MCRT and Cunningham was less objectionable than some of the candidates.

"Pick a desk," he said laconically. "DiNozzo will show you where things are. Introduce you. Going for coffee."

Jim grinned as he saw Gibbs depart, "Some things don't change."

"You know Gibbs?" asked Tony.

"We worked together for about a year … soon after I joined. Gibbs was famous even then for coffee and silence."

"What did you do before NCIS?"

"I was a Marine. Made it to Staff Sergeant."

Tony nodded, thinking life might be easier as Jim hadn't reached a higher rank than Gibbs.

"And you were a cop?" asked Jim, "That's what the scuttlebutt says." Tony's forehead creased as he tried to translate. "That's Marine for gossip," said Jim kindly.

Tony tapped his forehead, "Oh yeah, sorry … well, not sorry …"

"Don't worry, kid! I haven't got a rule about apologies … and don't sweat it, I know how hard it is to learn the jargon."

"Thanks," said Tony, "And yeah, I was a cop. Met Gibbs in Baltimore … and here I am."

"Which desk is free?" asked Jim, "I'm guessing Gibbs won't be gone long and he'll want us to be squared away by the time he's back."

Tony pointed to the empty desks and, taking Jim's hint about getting back to work, began writing up his notes from the latest crime scene.

"You got somewhere to stay yet?" he asked.

"You offering?"

Tony hesitated, "Well, I've got a sofa bed … but Gibbs says my apartment has this _minty fresh urine smell_ so you might not like it much."

Gibbs breezed back in at that moment, "DiNozzo still thinks he's living in a frat house."

Tony opened his mouth to protest but Jim beat him to it, "It's OK, I won't need to break out the air freshener … I'm staying with my sister and her family. They have a room over the garage they're letting me use. Thanks for the offer though."

"You got your PT gear with you?" asked Gibbs.

Tony grinned, he hadn't worked with Gibbs for long, but he already knew that he got antsy if he didn't have a case to work on. If there wasn't work to be done, he tended to drag Tony down to the gym for hand-to-hand training.

"No," said Jim, somehow managing not to look apologetic. Tony was impressed at his composure: he was still at the stage of thinking he had to be ready for anything Gibbs threw at him.

"I've got some spare gear," he offered, "Should fit you."

"Is it clean?" asked Gibbs sceptically.

"Yes," said Tony a little huffily, "I brought it in today."

"Doesn't matter," said Jim with continued serenity, "Reckon I've put up with worse than that."

"Let's move it," said Gibbs who was bored by the interchange.

A few minutes later, Jim and Gibbs were standing by the boxing ring, waiting for Tony to emerge.

"Seems like a good kid," said Jim trying to make conversation.

"Huh, guess so," said Gibbs gruffly.

"It's been a while, Jethro … but I'm guessing you still don't suffer fools gladly," smiled Jim, "So that's probably …" he trailed off when he saw Tony finally emerging from the changing room.

"Jim?" asked Gibbs, "You OK?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Guess I'm more tired than I thought. Sorry." He dragged his eyes away from the sight of Tony in his gym clothes.

"What took you so long?" demanded Gibbs of Tony, "You know you don't have to fix your hair before we do PT."

"I wasn't," said Tony, "I couldn't find my socks, that's all."

Gibbs wasn't one for small talk so simply delivered a glare that warned Tony to be quicker in future, "Hey, Jim … seem to remember you had some sneaky moves in hand-to-hand. Why don't you and DiNozzo do some grappling?"

"What?" asked Jim who still seemed a little distracted.

"You, me … grappling," said Tony. He was starting to like Jim and wanted to prevent him from getting a rebuke from Gibbs before he'd been in the office less than an hour.

"Sure!" said Jim, "And watch out!"

Gibbs watched Jim and Tony work out together and, on the whole, was pleased with the results. Jim was as sneaky as he had remembered and soon taught Tony some moves which would serve him well. Tony, at the moment, was more enthusiastic than skilled but his strength and athleticism made up for a lot. After an hour, he dismissed them to the showers and went to join Director Morrow who had quietly come to watch what was going on.

"Seems to be fitting in well," said Morrow hopefully.

"Only been half a day," responded Gibbs.

"And?" prodded Morrow.

"And he might not be awful," conceded Gibbs.

"I'll take that as high praise," said Morrow, "He's a good man. I think he'd be a good fit."

"We'll see," said Gibbs noncommittally.

NCISNCIS

It seemed, however, that Director Morrow's optimism was well-placed. Jim Cunningham was easy going and placid, but he had a sharp investigative mind. He didn't take offence at Gibbs' brusqueness and managed also to deflect some of his irritability by sometimes jumping in to prevent a hasty response from Tony. Gibbs was willing to allow Jim to teach Tony some of the day to day procedures and processes: he reasoned that, while he didn't necessarily want to _follow_ those rules, it would be good for Tony to know them.

Tony found he appreciated having someone actually teach him by using words rather than expecting telepathic understanding. He still respected Gibbs enormously but, with Jim's example, began to learn that the correct response to a Gibbs' command to jump wasn't always _how high_?

Tony discovered that Jim had a somewhat neglected love of movies. Jim explained that his wife had not shared his interest, so it was a while since he had been to see any new releases but, now with divorce on the horizon, it was a good time for him to renew his interest. Finding what Gibbs called a victim and what _he_ called a student made Tony supremely happy and he set about bringing Jim's movie knowledge up to date. It made Tony even happier when he discovered there was a retrospective of John Ford westerns being shown at a local cinema and he managed to persuade Gibbs to come along too.

Director Morrow was conscious of a smug feeling of a job well done. Jim seemed to be the perfect Senior Field Agent for the MCRT. He was confident and secure in his own abilities and acted as a foil to the somewhat mercurial DiNozzo and taciturn Gibbs. The Director decided that Jim was good for both Tony and Gibbs _and_ there was the added bonus that the job was good for Jim too.

Two weeks into Jim's assignment, all seemed to be going well but Gibbs found that his gut was slightly uneasy: this puzzled him because he genuinely liked Jim and knew that he was doing a good job. Tony was working well with him and also seemed to be more settled and less skittish, under Jim's calm influence Tony was less jumpy than before. Gibbs took the problem to Ducky.

"So," said Dr Mallard, "Let me understand this. James is working well?"

"Yes."

"You like him?"

"Yes."

"Anthony likes him?"

"Yes."

"He is taking some of the training responsibilities from you?"

"Yes."

"And you are satisfied with the way he is fulfilling those responsibilities?"

"Yes."

"But?"

"My gut …"

"Ah, the infamous Gibbs' gut. Of course, there is one obvious answer."

"There is?"

"Oh yes."

"What is it?"

"That you need to purchase some antacids, Jethro."

"Excuse me?"

"Perhaps your gut is speaking to you because of the inordinate amounts of caffeine that you consume."

"Huh. Don't think so, Duck. I know the difference between gut ache and gut … talking."

"I see. Well, I suppose I will have to bow to your superior knowledge of your _gut._ Of course, there may be another explanation."

"Go on."

"Well, and forgive me for saying so, you are not accustomed to your team working like a well-oiled machine. Perhaps your _gut_ is struggling to cope with tranquillity and calm."

"And that's your diagnosis?"

"I am unable to think of another reason for your _symptoms, _Jethro. I recommend that you embrace the situation and come to terms with the benefits of having a well ordered, harmonious team."

"Huh," said Gibbs. He didn't look convinced.

NCISNCIS

Later that day the MCRT got a call to Rock Creek Park where there had been a sighting of an AWOL petty officer.

Gibbs relieved his irritation by driving the van there and tuned out his co-workers' discussion of the rival merits of James Bond actors.

"Cut the chat," he ordered when they arrived, "Don't want the guy to hear us coming."

Tony and Jim nodded obediently.

"Ranger said that someone answering Petty Officer Jones' description rented a cabin in a remote part of the park," said Tony, "Can only get to it along this track."

"OK," said Gibbs, "We'll take it slow and careful. Remember, Jones is a weapons specialist and has training in explosives. Look out for any surprises."

Tony hitched his backpack a little more securely. Jim looked at him,

"You OK, Tony?" he asked, sensing that Tony was a little nervous.

"Sure," said Tony with studied nonchalance before slightly spoiling the effect by adding, "Just that this is new … I'm used to chasing down the bad guys in the streets not in the wild outdoors."

Jim patted him on the shoulder, "You'll be fine. Just watch what Gibbs and I do."

Tony nodded gratefully.

Gibbs led the way and the three moved stealthily towards the cabin. In other circumstances Tony thought, it might have been a pleasant trek as he could hear the birds singing happily and the trees rustling gently in the breeze. Gibbs also felt almost relaxed and his gut settled down now that there was a job to do: this was what the job was about, and he felt a sense of contentment at working with two reliable fellow agents.

"Tony!" bellowed Jim suddenly.

The sound of an explosion shattered the peaceful atmosphere and there was a shout of pain.

NCISNCIS

"I've told Director Morrow I want to go back to Mayport," said Jim a few hours later.

Gibbs nodded, "OK."

"I know you've got a rule about apologies," he continued, "But I want to say that I'm sorry. Really sorry."

Gibbs shifted uncomfortably as he adjusted his arm in its sling, "What are you going to do?" he asked with surprising gentleness.

"Don't know," admitted Jim, "Might try for another SFA job."

"You did a good job here," said Gibbs.

"Yeah," said Jim, "I can see that." He gestured to Gibbs' injured arm.

"Not your fault that Jones had put a booby trap on the path," said Gibbs. "And you spotted it before Tony or I did."

"I guess. But you and I know that I screwed up."

"Yep," said Gibbs. "You did."

Silence lay heavily between the two and was then broken by Tony's arrival,

"Hey, Boss. The doc says you can go home. I'll drive you, shall I?"

Gibbs nodded acceptance of the offer and then said, "Jim's got something to say to you."

Tony turned expectantly. Jim gulped and summoned a smile,

"I'm glad to have caught you, Tony. I was just telling Gibbs, I've asked Director Morrow to re-assign me to Mayport."

"What? Why?"

"I don't think I'll want to work in DC in the winter."

"You'd get used to it," urged Tony.

"I guess. But the real reason is …" he looked at Gibbs who was staring at him thoughtfully, "… well, the real reason is that I've decided to try again with Carol, my wife."

"Oh," said Tony, "Well, that's great. I hope it works out for you. I'll miss you … it's been great working with you … and going to the movies."

"Thanks, Tony. And I'll miss you … and Gibbs of course. But, you know …," he broke off and then said, "You're going to be a great agent … don't forget that. Understand?"

Tony nodded, "When are you leaving?"

"Going home to pack now. I'm booked on a flight tonight."

"Already? We'd have taken you out for a farewell meal," protested Tony.

"No point in dragging it out," said Jim, "Carol's expecting me."

"You sure?" asked Tony.

"I'm sure."

"Well, good luck man," said Tony. "Keep in touch …"

"Hey, DiNozzo!" barked Gibbs, "You gonna get your car or am I going to be stuck here all night?"

"On my way, Boss," said Tony. He held out his hand to Jim, "Hope it all goes OK. Thanks for everything, Jim."

Jim smiled and pulled Tony into a hug, "No, thank _you¸ _Tony."

"DiNozzo!" barked Gibbs again.

"I'm going," said Tony a little irritably.

Jim watched him go.

"Is Carol really waiting for you?" asked Gibbs when he was sure that Tony had gone.

"No," said Jim sadly.

"Didn't think so," said Gibbs. "Thanks for everything, Jim. You did a good job."

"Just not good enough," sighed Jim, "Could have been good."

"Yep."

"See you, Jethro. Look after him, won't you?"

Gibbs nodded and Jim left the room. Gibbs thought back to the explosion in Rock Creek Park. Jim had indeed done well to spot the booby trap and to shout the warning, but the warning had revealed something which he had been hiding. Jim had called out to _Tony _and had thrown _him_ to the ground, but it was Gibbs who had been in the greater danger and it was Gibbs who was injured in the explosion. Jim's instinctive response had been to save the co-worker for whom he had developed feelings.

It wasn't long before Tony returned pushing a wheelchair and clearly expecting a battle with Gibbs over being transported in it.

"DiNozzo," said Gibbs when Tony walked in.

"Boss?"

"The rules. You were right."

"I was?" Tony was surprised: this was the probably the first time he had been right about anything in Gibbs' eyes.

"All those rules about lawyers. I decided to merge some of them."

"Yeah?"

"Decided I didn't need that rule about FBI lawyers."

"Rule 12?"

"Yep. I mean a lot of the rules are either about lawyers or FBI. No need to waste another on them."

"So, what's Rule 12 going to be now?"

"Don't date a co-worker."

Tony looked almost comically alarmed, "Boss? You know, Abby and I flirt a lot but that's just because we like it. I don't want to date her …"

"Glad to hear it," said Gibbs drily.

"And the baggie bunnies … I don't really want to date them either. Or actually, I would but they don't want to date _me_. And I'm not sure they'd count as co-workers anyway …"

"DiNozzo! Rule 12, don't date a co-worker. If you're in doubt, come to me and I'll tell you who counts as a co-worker. Understood?"

"Yes, Boss. Understood. I'll miss Jim, you know."

"Hmm," said Gibbs. He looked at Tony and wondered if he had guessed that Jim had come to have feelings for him. He realised that he didn't know; in some ways, Tony wore his heart on his sleeve but at other times he kept his emotions strictly under wraps. Gibbs guessed it didn't really matter and at least his gut was quiet now.

Gibbs decided not to fight Tony about the wheelchair and sat in it almost willingly which meant he didn't see the look of sorrow that briefly passed over Tony's face before he schooled it into its usual cheerfulness.

"Who do you think the Director will give us next, Boss?" he asked.

Gibbs groaned at the thought.


	3. Chapter 3

"Gibbs, a word."

Gibbs looked up reluctantly from his desk and saw the Director standing at the top of the stairs looking down.

"Now," continued Director Morrow with a jerk of his head.

Gibbs heaved a quiet sigh but dutifully enough obeyed the command. Tony watched him go, wondering what was being said behind closed doors.

Behind those closed doors, Morrow directed Gibbs to take a seat,

"You've worked with Leon Vance, haven't you?" he asked.

"Sure."

"SecNav wants to start a new training scheme."

"Hmm."

The Director toyed briefly with the idea of saying, _Yes, there's new psychological training which breaks people of functional mutism … we want to try it on you,_ but decided that, as with so many of the things which popped into his head, this was something better left unsaid. He swallowed, "Yes, a fast track scheme."

"Hmm," said Gibbs again.

"Making sure that candidates for management and supervisory position get experience in a range of positions. You know, agent afloat …"

"I've done agent afloat," interjected Gibbs.

"And Senior Field Agent." Morrow seemed to anticipate Gibbs' next response, "And yes, I know you've done that too. Don't worry, you're not being fast tracked."

"Glad to hear it," said Gibbs. With anyone else, the Director might have doubted the truth of the statement, but he knew that Gibbs was genuinely content to have reached his current level and had no wish for further advancement.

"But Leon is," said Morrow.

"Hmm," Gibbs reverted to monosyllables.

"He was scheduled to do a spell as agent afloat on the USS Endeavour but …"

"It's gone in for emergency repairs," said Gibbs who always managed to keep up to date with naval movements.

"So, we decided to shift things around. There's an opening for Senior Field Agent on your team …"

"Is there?" asked Gibbs innocently.

"Yes, there is," said Tom firmly.

"Huh."

"So, I figure that Leon can do the job for a few weeks until the Endeavour is ready for sea trials. It'll be good experience for him."

"Hmm."

"And be good for DiNozzo too."

"Huh?"

"Leon is the future of NCIS … or at least, that's what SecNav keeps telling me," said Tom a little gloomily, "Be good for your boy to get some input from …"

"Someone who's not a dinosaur?" asked Gibbs blandly.

"Your words, Jethro," said Tom briskly.

"That all?" asked Gibbs.

"That's all. And Gibbs …"

Gibbs was already on his way to the door, but he turned at these words.

The Director's words of advice about how to work with Vance died on his lips; somehow he knew that Gibbs would go his own way, "Nothing. Back to work," he said instead.

NCISNCIS

"Jethro."

"Leon."

Tony watched the first exchange between Gibbs and the new Senior Field Agent the next morning. He wasn't one for watching wildlife programmes on TV, but he had once seen one about Black-Tailed bucks squaring up to each other to fight for their territory: for some reason, Gibbs and Vance watching one another reminded him of the two bucks.

"That desk is free," said Gibbs, pointing to an empty desk.

Vance looked at the desk, weighing it up and then nodded as he decided it would do. He turned to Tony,

"You must be Special Agent DiNozzo," he said.

"Yes. Pleased to meet you, Special Agent Vance," said Tony politely.

"Hmm," said Vance, not committing to equal pleasure.

In his career before NCIS, being greeted with monosyllables would have made Tony uneasy but a few months of Gibbs had cured him of being easily offended. Now, he decided that perhaps Vance and Gibbs were cut from the same cloth and that he was in for some silent weeks until the Endeavour was ready to set sail.

"I'm in court this week," announced Gibbs, "So you and DiNozzo will be on your own. Can you cope with that, _Leon_?"

Tony continued to watch, and listen, carefully. He had noticed that Gibbs had a way of saying someone's name which, although polite, was somehow slightly mocking.

"I think I'll manage, _Leroy_," replied Vance.

Tony suddenly decided that the paperwork on his desk demanded his undivided attention.

Gibbs went off to his court appearance shortly after this exchange and Tony braced himself for what would happen once he was on his own with Vance. There was a period of silence during which Leon unpacked his gear. Tony decided he should take the initiative: it seemed unlikely that Vance was silent because he was shy but Tony decided he shouldn't assume,

"That your family?" he asked, pointing to the pictures Vance had displayed.

"Huh-huh," agreed Vance.

Tony grew in confidence, "Your boys?" He searched around for a suitable compliment but struggled as he wasn't sure what would be considered nice to say about small children.

"My boy …" Tony grinned happily, "… and my girl," Vance added sourly. "The pigtails kinda give it away."

"Oh," said Tony, he began to frame an apology but couldn't think how to make the situation better, "Oh …"

A worrying thought crossed his mind: was talking in monosyllables some sort of industry related illness? Was he going down with it himself? A DiNozzo could never talk in monosyllables. It might be OK for someone named Gibbs or Vance but how would an Italian with 3 proud syllables in his name cope? He walked back to his desk sadly to contemplate his future.

"Agent DiNozzo," said Vance.

"Agent Vance," replied Tony fighting valiantly against incipient monosyllabism.

"Director Morrow tells me you have recently finished at FLETC."

"Yes." (Damn!)

"I looked at the curriculum and noticed that there is very little focus on IT skills."

"Oh," (Double damn!)

"I think IT skills will form a vital part of the NCIS agent's armoury in the future."

"Ah," Tony cursed again (silently) but decided he was made of sterner stuff, "Have you told Gibbs that?"

Vance grinned and pulled out a toothpick from an inside pocket, "No. I'm brave, but not suicidal!"

Tony relaxed a little. The smile softened Vance's face and made him look more human.

"So, I figured," resumed Vance, "That while I'm here I could give you some training. You know, it would be useful for you to know how to do database searches, track mobile phones … that sort of thing."

"Wow! That would be great," said Tony enthusiastically. "We have to get people on other teams to do stuff like that and …" he trailed off, not wanting to appear critical of Gibbs.

"… and that makes Gibbs mad," completed Vance. Tony nodded. "Yeah, sounds familiar. The Gibbs I knew always wanted everything done yesterday."

"That hasn't changed," Tony informed him.

"Good," said Vance, "Let me get my stuff squared away and we'll get started. We can use cold cases as training material. That way we're doing what Gibbs told us to do."

"Work smarter, not harder," said Tony. Vance looked surprised so Tony continued, "Boss has rules, so I'm making some of my own too. Only supplementary of course," he added hastily, "Gibbs' rules take priority."

"Uh-huh," agreed Vance.

NCISNCIS

It was unlikely that Vance and Tony would ever become Best Friends Forever but they got on surprisingly well over the next few weeks. Vance turned out to be a good teacher in a subject he was passionate about and Tony was bright enough to understand about 70% of what he was being told.

Tony found out that Leon was a keen boxer and he was eager to learn that as a new skill too: he still harboured an ambition of one day taking Gibbs down in the gym and he hoped that boxing might give him an edge.

It couldn't be said that Leon had much of a sense of humour so the training sessions both in the squad room and the gym were a little dry but Vance was also patient and less likely than Gibbs to explode with fury if Tony did something stupid. Life was less exciting with Vance than with Gibbs, but Tony was less likely to have a tension headache or nervous stomach.

Gibbs looked on tolerantly. While he was not interested in developing his computer skills, he wasn't actually averse to having a team member who knew more than him on the subject. He was less enamoured with Tony's acquiring boxing skills: somehow, he didn't think many of the criminal fraternity fought under Marquess of Queensberry Rules. Gibbs was, however, a pragmatist and only fought battles which were worth winning and he didn't think Tony learning about boxing really mattered. He could always straighten Tony out once Leon had left.

They didn't work cold cases all the time and Leon found himself out in the field more than he had become accustomed to. He admired the stamina of his co-workers and resolved to devote more time to his own physical fitness; he might be destined for managerial positions but he thought it would be good to be as fit as those who would be working for him. _Lead by example_ was one of his own rules he was contemplating.

In other matters, Leon reserved judgement on his co-workers. He had already known that he and Gibbs had very different approaches but he could not help but admire the results that Gibbs achieved. He was less sure what to think about the newest member of the team: DiNozzo certainly had ability and street-smarts and was quickly learning about the quirks of NCIS and dealing with the Navy and Marine Corps. Vance couldn't quite see why Gibbs had recruited DiNozzo; he would have thought that the man's liveliness, chattiness and general _joie-de-vivre_ would have grated on the more sombre older man.

Leon was also unsure whether DiNozzo was a good fit for the MCRT. He considered that a new recruit should perhaps have been placed with a supervisor who did things more by the book and worried that DiNozzo would learn bad habits from the somewhat anarchic Gibbs. Hints about this had been ignored by Director Morrow and Vance had to conclude that the Director was too relieved to find that Gibbs could work with _someone_ to remove that someone from the team.

Vance resolved to teach DiNozzo the way things _should_ be done and simply hope that was good enough. In any case, he reasoned, it was unlikely that DiNozzo would be around very long as he had a history of leaving jobs after 2 years.

Leon's thoughts were interrupted by a shout from Tony's desk, "Hey! I've just traced Petty Officer Maguire's cell phone. He's on the other side of DC!"

"Good work," said Gibbs and Vance in unison.

Tony's eyes skittered between the two of them in something like shock at being praised.

"Gear up!" said Gibbs. "DiNozzo, you can tell us where to go."

NCISNCIS

"Well, gentlemen," said Ducky a few hours later as he surveyed the MCRT, "You seem to have had an exciting afternoon!"

"We got him though," said Tony happily.

"At some cost, I fear," mused Ducky.

"We didn't fall far," said Tony determined to look on the bright side.

"Hmm," said Vance and Gibbs once again speaking together.

Petty Officer Maguire had turned out to have an impressive turn of speed and, when he saw the MCRT approaching, had set off across a building site. He had been chased up a heap of rubble and rubbish which had then given way under the sudden weight of four adult men. They had all fallen some distance and then rolled even further down a slope littered with lumps of concrete and rusty wires. Fortunately, there were no bones broken but they were all suffering from bruises, scrapes and contusions.

It took some time for Ducky and his assistant Gerald to clean and treat the various wounds and, by the end, it was clear that the NCIS agents were all in varying degrees of pain and discomfort.

"And it will be worse before it is better," diagnosed Ducky cheerfully. "Now, to prevent being unduly stiff and immobile tomorrow, I recommend that you each take some of these painkillers …"

"Don't need anything, Duck," said Gibbs morosely, "I'll have some bourbon when I get home. That'll do me."

"Nonsense, Jethro," said Ducky briskly, "If you don't take these painkillers, I predict that you will not be fit to go out into the field tomorrow. And I'm sure that none of you want to be on desk duty, do you?"

"Ducky," said Vance, "I'm sure if I just have a hot bath tonight, I'll be …"

"My dear Leon, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. As I'm sure you would tell your dear children should they be in a similar predicament. And," he paused for the coup-de-grâce, "I'm sure you want to set a good example to young Anthony here. NCIS regulations are most specific about the importance of seeking, and following, medical advice following workplace accidents."

"OK," sighed Vance and Gibbs.

"Oh," said Tony, "I'll be fine – really. You know, I mend really quick. And you know, I'm that much younger …" he paused as he noticed the twin glares from his co-workers, "… I'll be fine. Promise. I really shouldn't …"

"Shouldn't go against Ducky's orders," said Gibbs, "You take the medicine he gives you. Understood?"

"But, Boss."

"You don't want to be up on a charge of insubordination, do you?" asked Vance.

"OK," subsided Tony, "Fine."

"Excellent," cooed Ducky, "I will give you each the necessary medicines and balms and I expect you to follow my instructions minutely."

"Understand, DiNozzo?" said Gibbs grimly.

"Yes, Boss. I understand," said Tony glumly.

NCISNCIS

Gibbs and Vance arrived to work at the same time the next morning.

"How you doing?" asked Gibbs.

Vance winced a little, "Bit stiff. Good thing Ducky gave me those pills. Don't think I'd be moving at all today. What about you?"

Gibbs shrugged, "Huh, still think bourbon and a hot bath would have done the trick but I guess it wasn't too bad."

They paused as they entered the squad room and saw that Tony was already there.

"What you doing, DiNozzo?" asked Gibbs as he regarded Tony's possessions strewn on the floor around his desk.

"Hi, Boss. Hi Agent Vance," said Tony cheerily. "Agent Vance told me that my desk was a disgrace to NCIS. You know, that I should know where everything is. A place for everything and everything in its place. I'm going to make it one of my rules," he smiled winningly up at the others.

"And you decided to clean up today?" asked Vance curiously.

"Sure. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today," said Tony sententiously.

"'Nother rule?" asked Gibbs.

"Might be," said Tony thoughtfully, "I'll think about it." He returned to contemplating the objects on the floor and hummed happily to himself.

"What's that smell?" asked Vance.

Tony sniffed obligingly, "Burrito? Coffee?" he suggested.

"No," Vance bent down, "No, smells like alcohol."

"Oh," said Tony. He stammered, "It's r-r-rubbing alcohol …" He giggled.

Gibbs directed a stern look at his junior agent, "We'll talk about this later, DiNozzo. Now, clear up this mess!"

"Yes, Boss," said Tony agreeably. He picked up some of the stuff from the floor and threw it on to his desk, but his aim was poor and the objects scattered and fell back to the ground. "Oops!" He bent to the task again but seemed to have difficulty in picking anything up. In the end, he sat down on the floor and looked at his hands in puzzlement.

"DiNozzo? What's going on?" asked Gibbs.

"What are these?" asked Tony waving his hands about.

"Hands," said Vance briskly.

"No, no," said Tony as he waved again, "I know _that_. I'm not stupid. Not hands, what are these on the end?"

"Fingers," said Gibbs, "Those are fingers."

"Fingers," said Tony with a smile of wonder on his face, "I have f-f-fingers. Do fingers fing?"

"What?" demanded Vance.

"Do fingers fing?"

"What?" asked Gibbs in his turn.

"I think they do. I fing they do …" Tony laughed at his own joke, "My fingers are finging. That's why I can't pick things … fings up."

"Agent Gibbs, Agent Vance," came Director Morrow's voice, "I need to see you both. In my office." He saw Gibbs' hesitation and added, "Now!"

Gibbs reluctantly left Tony with another order to get his mess cleared up and then left with Vance to go to Morrow's office. Tony watched them go but was soon distracted by his waving fingers.

NCISNCIS

"What's going on?" asked Gibbs about 30 minutes later. He had returned to the squad room to find Tony's gear still strewn around his desk but no sign of Tony himself. Chris Pacci had told him that Tony was in Autopsy.

"Ah," said Ducky, "I'm glad you have returned, Jethro."

"I asked what's going on. Pacci said you'd come and taken DiNozzo away."

"Alas," sighed Ducky.

The sigh worried Gibbs and he quickly looked around in alarm lest DiNozzo was stowed in one of the morgue drawers.

"We should have listened to young Anthony," said Ducky sadly.

"What? Not helping here, Duck. Where's Tony?"

"Oh, Jethro, I did not mean to add to any sense of anxiety or foreboding. Anthony is perfectly well, or rather, he will be when …"

"When what?" demanded Gibbs.

"You know, in some ways, you should be very proud of Anthony," said Ducky reflectively, "It turns out that he follows orders very well."

"Duck?"

"Of course, in this case it turns out that he would have better advised _not_ to follow them."

"Duck!"

"It turns out that young Anthony is very sensitive to painkillers. And particularly susceptible to the brand that I pressed upon him so forcefully. On the plus side, the young man is not suffering any pain or discomfort from his ordeal yesterday."

"Duck?"

"Unfortunately, his inhibitions have mostly disappeared and he is not really in control of himself. Fortunately, Christopher became aware of his increasingly erratic behaviour and summoned me to the squad room. He kindly assisted me in bringing Anthony down here to safety."

"Where is he?"

"He is asleep in my office," said Ducky, finally giving a straightforward answer, "It would seem that his final reaction to this particular drug is to fall into a deep slumber. Partly, I would surmise, out of exhaustion. From what I could understand from his ramblings, he did not sleep at all last night but rather went on a series of extensive runs in the area around his apartment. I have deputed Gerald to watch over him lest he awaken and do something alarming once more."

Gibbs nodded and walked to Ducky's office. He peered in and saw Tony sound asleep with a peaceful look on his face: it was somehow a very soothing sight. Gibbs closed the door quietly and went back to Ducky.

"And where is Agent Vance?" asked Ducky, "It seems odd to see you without your _shadow_."

"Assignment is over," said Gibbs. "Director just told us. Turns out that the Endeavour finished up quicker than expected and sails tomorrow. Vance is on his way to Norfolk. Said to say goodbye, didn't have time to come down himself."

"Indeed," said Ducky, "Well, it has been interesting to see him working here again. I wonder … ah, Director Morrow – this is an unexpected pleasure. We do not often see you in these nether regions of NCIS."

"Pacci told me there was a problem with DiNozzo," said Morrow.

"Ah," said Ducky as he drew breath to explain again.

"Leon said he thought DiNozzo was drunk," said Morrow disapprovingly. "Said he was giggling, out of control and smelled of drink …"

"I fear that was my fault," said Ducky guiltily.

"Leon recommended that he be dismissed," said Morrow, "And I'm inclined to agree. He's still on probation with us … it's disappointing because I thought he had potential but showing up to work drunk and incapable is pretty unforgiveable. I'm sorry, Jethro, I know you like the lad but …"

"Director Morrow," said Ducky, "Forgive me for interrupting but I believe I can enlighten you as to the true nature of what has transpired. You will know what Leon, Jethro and Anthony were involved in a mishap yesterday?"

"So I heard," said Morrow.

"I had the honour of treating their wounds which, fortunately, were not too severe although I do consider that they had a lucky escape. However, I am sure that these are hazards which are encountered all too often in this sphere of activity and I …"

"Duck," said Gibbs, "The Director's a busy man …"

"Of course, forgive me for being longwinded, Director. I was merely trying to ensure that you are fully aware of the course of events."

"Thank you, Dr Mallard," said Tom drily.

"I recommended … very forcefully, I may say, that Jethro, Leon and Anthony take painkillers to ward off and alleviate any effects resulting from their accidents. They were reluctant …"

"You surprise me," said Tom.

"But I insisted. Anthony was particularly reluctant to agree but I fear that we all insisted that he follow the regimen I dictated."

"You fear?" prompted Tom.

"Yes, indeed. I was just telling Jethro that it appears that Anthony is very sensitive to certain types of painkiller …"

"Let me guess," said Tom proving that he was a good investigator in his own right, "Tony is sensitive to the painkillers you prescribed."

"Indeed. I believe … indeed, I am certain, that is the cause of the erratic behaviour we have witnessed from the boy today."

"Hmm," said Tom, clearly not yet convinced, "That doesn't explain the alcohol – I won't have agents coming to work under the influence of drink …"

"Of course not, Director," said Ducky, "But I fear that is also my fault …"

Gibbs had tired of the explanations, "Ducky gave Tony some rubbing alcohol because he'd pulled a muscle in his shoulder. And I figure DiNozzo was following orders and rubbed it in like Ducky told him to. That's what Vance smelled on him. He hasn't been drinking."

The Director smiled in relief, "Good … Dr Mallard, may I suggest …"

"I have already made sure that Anthony's medical file is updated to show that he should not be prescribed these medications again and, indeed, that all prescribing should be approached in a conservative and cautious manner. We do not want a repeat of his fingers _finging_ again."

"Doctor?" queried Tom.

Before Ducky could answer, Tony emerged from the office with Gerald close behind him,

"Sorry," he said, "I'm guessing I might have done something …" He rubbed his eyes wearily in a way that Gibbs could imagine he did when he was five years old. It was oddly endearing, and Gibbs found himself feeling Tony should be dressed in striped pyjamas and be carrying a teddy bear.

"It's all right, Tony," he said softly, "It's all OK." He turned to the Director, "I think we'll be taking the rest of the day, Director. I'll take DiNozzo back to mine and make sure he's … safe."

"Very well," agreed Tom, "Look after yourself, Agent DiNozzo."

"Thanks, Director," said Tony who was clearly struggling to keep his eyes open.

Gibbs took a hold of Tony's arm and steered him out of Autopsy. Tony waved goodbye in a wobbly manner but Gibbs pulled his arm down as he showed worrying signs of being fascinated once more by his fingers.

At the door, Gibbs turned back and said,

"Might want to let Leon know that Tony wasn't drunk."

Tom nodded, "There won't be anything adverse in Agent DiNozzo's file, but I'll call him."

Unfortunately, the Director was called into an emergency meeting with SecNav as soon as he got back to his office and he forgot to make the call – which meant that, when Leon Vance became NCIS Director, he had a less than favourable memory of Tony …


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, Gibbs."

"Hey."

Tony padded down the stairs in Gibbs' basement where his Boss was peacefully sanding away at his boat.

"Does it help?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"You know, making this … thing …"

"It's a boat, DiNozzo."

"I know that," said Tony defensively, "I mean, I work for the Navy and all …"

"Uh huh."

"So, does making a _boat_ help?"

"With what?"

"You know, with the stress of the job, unwinding …"

"Unwinding?"

Tony paused; he guessed he struggled with the idea of Gibbs unwinding. It seemed to him that Gibbs didn't allow stress to build up but simply let it explode out immediately. "Forget it," he said.

"Bourbon?" asked Gibbs pointing to the bottle.

"Nah, I'm good," he seemed to sense Gibbs' doubts, "Well, some people think so anyway," he amended.

"What you doing here, DiNozzo? Would've thought you'd be on your way home. It's late, I guess you've done your report?"

"Yes, Boss. Made me think."

"Always a good thing," said Gibbs gravely. He waited for Tony to continue but his agent seemed, uncharacteristically, lost for words, "About what?"

"You remember Syndi-Lou?"

"Who?"

"You know, that woman the Director gave you as Senior Field Agent?"

"Oh, her. Guess I was trying to forget about her."

"I'm with you on that one. But I guess she wasn't all bad."

"She wasn't?" asked Gibbs in surprise.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm glad we showed her the door, but she did teach me about filling in paperwork."

"I guess," shrugged Gibbs who was rarely going to think highly of paperwork.

"And Jim," said Tony.

"Ah," said Gibbs a little cautiously.

"I liked Jim. And he was good at the job … you know, very calm and level headed."

"What you getting at, Tony?"

"We've been through a lot of Senior Field Agents, Gibbs."

"Uh huh."

"I've been working for you – what, nearly 2 years. And we've gone through getting on for fifteen agents."

"I guess," said Gibbs with a slight grin.

"You remember Clint?"

The grin widened, "Hard not to."

"Never met anyone before who was even more of a Marine than you, Gibbs," said Tony reminiscently, "PT was a real experience with Clint."

"Figured taking the van anywhere was for weaklings," remembered Gibbs, "Thought we should do forced marches with all the gear."

"He didn't think much of me," said Tony gloomily, "Thought college was for wusses."

"We showed him though," said Gibbs.

Tony shared a smile as they remembered Clint's last day. That had been a strange but satisfying day.

"And Clive," said Tony.

"Ah, Clive."

"I _liked _Clive," said Tony with a smile.

"He was really bad at the job," said Gibbs sternly.

"I guess … but I _really_ liked him."

"You liked that he baked," said Gibbs brutally, "Every day."

"I think it should be a requirement," said Tony dreamily, "You know, to have someone on the team who baked. I still remember those muffins … he'd never tell me what was in that special topping, you know."

"I liked those cookies he made," countered Gibbs.

"I like to think we helped him," said Tony kindly. "You know, helped him see where his true destiny lay."

"I guess," conceded Gibbs, "Reckon all those _yummy_ noises you made turned his head …"

"Hey!" said Tony indignantly, "I just gave him the appropriate amount of praise and recognition. Made him realise how good he was."

"Director was almost relieved when he quit to set up that independent … what do you call it?"

"Patisserie," supplied Tony.

"Yep, patisserie."

"And he gives us 20% discount."

"True. Still, could've done without him naming the shop …" Gibbs paused, unable to bear to speak the name.

"_Tibbs Talked About Confections_," supplied Tony, "But to be fair, with his surname being Bowels … he had to come up with something. And he wanted to acknowledge his debt to us."

"What you learn from him?" asked Gibbs.

"What?"

"Seems you're making a list of what you learned from all these people."

"Oh. Well, I guess I learned that it's a good idea to be good at your job …"

"Damn straight."

"… and to follow your dream … if you have one. And …"

"And?"

"… give praise where it's due …

"And? I sense you're not finished yet."

"And to have a drawer well stocked with snacks."

"You remember Yolande?" asked Gibbs, getting into the swing of things.

"Oh, Yolande," said Tony with something like a look of horror on his face, "Combining the job of being Senior Field Agent with completing her Masters in the psychology of alpha males. You know, Gibbs, I thought you coped well with that."

"Yeah?"

"It was a bit creepy the way that she followed you around with her notebook and how she squeaked with excitement every time you raised your voice. I thought she was going to hyperventilate the first time she saw you head slap me …"

"Guess her voice did go kinda high," remembered Gibbs.

"High? The dogs in the canine unit went mad!"

"Never thought that hero worship would be so … wearing," confessed Gibbs. "How did you get rid of her? I never worked it out."

"Told her that you were just pretending to be an alpha male. That you do crochet in your spare time and have fifteen angora rabbits. Persuaded her that if she focussed on you as a case study all her data would be skewed."

"Men can do crochet," protested Gibbs, "And men knit sweaters in some places …"

Tony began to backtrack anxiously, "I didn't mean to imply … I think you're real – er, manly," he ground to a halt and looked up suspiciously, "_Do_ you do crochet?" he asked.

"Nope," grinned Gibbs, "And I haven't had a rabbit since I was ten years old! Good job, DiNozzo!" He raised his glass in salute.

"Living up to that second B tonight, aren't you?" grumbled Tony.

"What about Tiffany?" suggested Gibbs.

"Ah, the lovely Tiffany … although she wasn't quite what I pictured a Tiffany would be."

"What did you think a Tiffany would be like?"

"Oh, I don't know. Ethereal, delicate …"

"Yeah, 'cos that's what a lot of NCIS agents are like," interrupted Gibbs.

"… and she wasn't like that," said Tony sadly. "And I have to say it's unusual for a NCIS agent to be so keen on time and motion studies. I'll never forget the day when she went to draw her weapon and realised she'd put her stopwatch in the holster."

"Yeah," said Gibbs drily.

"Still, she was another one that we set on the right path," said Tony, "She got a job as a project manager soon after."

"Yeah, for some reason she realised that she wasn't cut out for the MCRT," deadpanned Gibbs. "You learn anything from her?"

"Well, I already knew that it was a good idea to take my weapon with me when I left the office! But yeah, I guess she made me look at how I did things. Still wish you'd let me reorganise the van. I've got some great ideas about how it could be better."

"It's fine as it is," said Gibbs, "It's how my first Boss liked it to be so it's good enough for me."

"And there are two Senior Field Agents I never got to meet," said Tony. "You know, my 6-month recap course at FLETC only lasted two weeks but you managed to get through two agents while I was gone. What did you do?"

Gibbs shrugged, "It's a gift," he said modestly. "What about Vance? Learn anything from him?"

"Huh," Tony looked discontented, "You know, he's the only one who hasn't really kept in touch."

"You're in touch with the others?" asked Gibbs in surprise.

"Yes," said Tony equally surprised, "You know, it's good to keep in touch with people. It's called networking, Gibbs."

"But Vance hasn't?"

"Nope. I mean, I know he went off to be agent afloat and then got promoted so he's been busy, but he's never really responded to any of my emails. Didn't think we'd got on that badly."

"Hmm," said Gibbs wondering if perhaps Director Morrow's explanation of Tony's odd behaviour hadn't been clear enough.

"Still," said Tony, "It's his loss."

"Yes?" said Gibbs, not sure about that.

"Want to hear something funny, Gibbs?"

"Go on."

"Just before I left the office, I spoke to Chris."

"Pacci?" Gibbs was surprised. Everyone liked Chris Pacci, but he wasn't exactly known for his sense of humour.

"Yeah. I was thinking about all the people the Director has thrown at us …"

"And?"

"And I was wondering why he'd never given us Chris. I mean, Chris would be perfect. You like him, I like him. He's a great investigator. He'd fit right in."

"And what did Pacci say?"

"He didn't say anything for a while," admitted Tony.

"Why not?" Gibbs was imagining Chris struck dumb with amazement at the potential honour of being on the MCRT.

"He was laughing too much."

"Laughing?"

"Never seen him laugh like that. He thought it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard."

"Why?"

"Not sure, but every time I thought he'd stopped laughing he'd break out again."

"Takes all sorts," said Gibbs with a shrug. "Why you been thinking about this so much, Tony?"

"Well, like you said, it takes all sorts. And the Director hasn't found the right one for us yet."

Gibbs grinned with satisfaction at that.

"The Director was pleased you brought down the killer on Air Force One," said Tony apparently changing the subject.

"Huh. We all did good."

"You mean I did a good impression of a dead body," said Tony morosely.

"Hey, you took one for the team," said Gibbs.

"Suppose."

"What did you think of Agent Todd?"

"More than she thinks of me, I'd guess."

"Hmm. I offered her a job," said Gibbs.

"That's what the scuttlebutt said," said Tony and somehow Gibbs thought he had finally got to the heart of why he'd come visiting that night

"Can't keep a secret at NCIS," said Gibbs with a mixture of pride and annoyance.

"Gibbs, I know it's your call …"

"Damn right."

"And you'll do what you want …"

"Right again."

"But do you really think it'll work?"

"Why not? She's bright, ballsy and she can shoot. Sounds pretty ideal to me. Director likes the idea of having a woman on the team."

"She hasn't got any experience," said Tony.

"She can learn."

"But all the others … at least they had some experience …"

"Tony …"

"And you know, you don't always want to teach people. You're more of a _work it out for yourself _guy."

"So?"

"Well, how's that gonna work?"

"We'll make it work."

"And, well … I'm not sure it's fair."

"Fair?"

"Well, bringing in someone to be Senior Field Agent who's younger than me …"

"Tony …"

"And I know age shouldn't matter. But it does, kinda."

"DiNozzo …"

"And she doesn't know the job at all …"

"Tony …"

"So I might have to be showing her how to do things and then having to do what she tells me …"

"DiNozzo …"

"But I guess I'm coming up to my two-year limit, perhaps it's time to … ouch! What was that for?" demanded Tony crossly as he rubbed his head after receiving a head slap.

"You were rambling," said Gibbs sternly, "Yes, I've offered Agent Todd a job," he raised a hand to stop Tony from interrupting, "Yes, I know she hasn't got experience. Yes, I know she's got attitude …"

"I didn't say that," protested Tony.

"You were thinking it," said Gibbs firmly. "Yes, she's got attitude and balls – I like that. She's got potential and you don't waste good." Tony looked hurt that Rule 5 was being applied to someone other than him. "And," continued Gibbs, "I've learned that you don't waste good _from experience_." Tony gave a pleased smile at what he took to be a compliment. "I think Kate will fit right in …" he paused for effect, "… as a junior agent."

"You're not bringing her in as Senior Agent?"

"You think I'm stupid or something?"

"No, Boss. Of course not, Boss."

"And you've never had a problem with new people before."

"I don't have a problem with Kate. Just a problem if she's going to be senior to me."

"She won't be."

"Huh. We gonna get another Senior Field Agent?"

"Don't think so. Reckon the Director used up pretty much everyone."

"And I do some of the work anyway," said Tony ruefully, "Had a lot of examples to follow."

"I guess," said Gibbs. It probably hadn't quite registered with him that they managed without a Senior Field Agent because Tony covered a lot of the gaps.

"You know, Boss," said Tony, "It's coming up to two years I've been on your team …"

"So you keep telling me."

"… and I do some of the work already …"

"Yeah?"

"… and I've got a Masters … you know, like Senior Field Agents have to have."

Gibbs laughed, "We'll see. You sure you don't want a drink? All this talking dries the throat up," said Gibbs plaintively.

"I'm good," said Tony, he yawned, "I'd better be going …"

"See you in the morning," said Gibbs.

"Well …" said Tony.

"DiNozzo?"

"I don't think I'll be …"

"I've made the offer to Todd, you can't avoid her …"

"No, it's not that. I just don't think I'll be able to work …"

"DiNozzo! I thought you said you were OK with this. Don't be difficult. You've worked with people like Todd in the past … you'll just have to man up …"

"I know!" shouted Tony, "Oops; sorry, Boss, didn't mean to shout at you in your own home. This isn't about Kate …"

"Then what is it about?"

"You remember Agent Fornell bounced me on to the Beltway?"

Gibbs grinned at the memory.

"Well, I've been feeling kinda sore ever since. But I wasn't really surprised … I mean, being thrown out of a car is never going to be _nice_. And the adrenalin of the case kept me going but …"

"What?"

"I told Ducky. And he sent me for an x-ray."

"And?"

"I chipped my ankle bone and got deep bruising in … well, in a lot of other places."

"And?"

"And Ducky has given me some painkillers and told me to stay home a few days."

"Painkillers?" Gibbs quailed at the thought.

"Non-loopy ones," said Tony quickly, "But that's why I didn't have a drink."

"OK then," said Gibbs, "Better do what Ducky says."

The two nodded in agreement. They were both more than capable of challenging those in authority and chasing down hardened criminals, but they drew the line at going against the genteel steely authority of Donald Mallard.

"And you're OK with Kate?" asked Gibbs in uncharacteristic concern for someone's feelings.

Tony beamed, "You bet! It'll be great to have someone on the team who's _junior_ to me!"

Gibbs had a sudden intuition that the relative peace of the team was about to be destroyed but he shrugged, it was too late now.

SOME YEARS LATER

"So, McSeniorfieldagent at last," said Tony, "How does it feel?"

McGee swallowed bravely, "It'll be fine. Um, got any tips? You know, pointers?"

"Well," Tony said cheerfully, "You have got one advantage …"

"What's that?"

"You've been able to watch a master at work all these years."

"What?"

"You heard. Although you haven't had my advantages …"

Tim heaved a long-suffering sigh, "Yes, I know … your brains, natural ability, good looks, charm, insight …"

Tony clasped Tim by the upper arms, "Tim, I never knew you felt like that about me. I'm touched!"

"_No arguments here_," muttered Tim.

"But no, I didn't mean all those things you so rightly attributed to me …"

"Go on, then. Hit me with it."

"I had 15 Senior Field Agents to learn from … you've only had one …"

* * *

_AN: thank you to everyone who's taken an interest in the story._


End file.
